What Drinks Are Good for Promoting Healthy Kidney Function?

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Quick Answer

The juice of some fruits and vegetables, such as beet, cranberry, apple and lemon, are drinks that promote healthy kidney function, according to The Huffington Post, DaVita and the Global Healing Center. Water also supports kidney health.

Beets contain a phytochemical called betaine, explains the Global Healing Center. Betaine helps to clear the kidneys of calcium phosphate, which reduces the likelihood of kidney stones. Cranberries have compounds that keep E. coli from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract. This may prevent urinary tract infections, claims The Huffington Post.

Apples may diminish inflammation of the kidneys, reports DaVita. Lemon-based citrus drinks, especially lemonade, are high in citrate, which stops calcium from binding with other minerals, according to The Huffington Post. When calcium binds with other minerals present in the kidneys, the result is the formation of crystals that may lead to kidney stones. As of 2015, evidence suggests that citrate may even prevent crystals already present in the kidneys from binding.

Water helps the kidneys to remove toxins and waste from the blood and excrete them from the body as urine, states The Huffington Post. Too little water compromises kidney function, reducing the ability of the kidneys to filter and release any settled minerals that may lead to stones.